Online Fraud

Email Phishing

Criminals use fraudulent emails (known as phishing emails) that appear legitimate and are designed to deceive you into sharing personal or account information. The phishing emails often include logos of legitimate companies, content from their Web sites, and sometimes the names of real employees.

Many scammers randomly generate email addresses - that's why you may have received fraudulent emails that appear to be from banks you do not have an account with. They may also obtain email addresses online from Web pages, chat rooms, online auctions, directories or other sources.

Note: Mechanics Bank will never send unsolicited emails asking clients to provide, update, or verify personal or account information, such as passwords, Social Security numbers, PINs, credit or Check Card numbers, or other confidential information.

Forms Of Phishing Emails

Notification of Changed Email Address or Password:

Fraudulent emails notifying you of changes to your email addresses or passwords are a tactic fraudsters use to gain your personal information. The emails include statements such as:

"Thank you for banking online at Mechanics Bank. Our records indicate that you recently added or made a change to one of your email address(es). This notification is to confirm that you initiated this change. If you feel you have received this email in error and did not add or change your email address(es), please click here."

Do not click on the link in these emails; the link may take you to a phishing site or could download spyware to your computers.

When in doubt, call our Client Services Call Center at 800-797-6324.

Request to Update Your Online Account

Other emails that fraudsters send state that clients need to update their Mechanics Bank account "due to the recent changes we have made on our online banking system" which "allows us to activate new features for your account on our system." The email includes a hyperlink that appears to take users to the Mechanics Bank website. However, the hyperlink takes users to a phishing site or can download spyware to their computers. Mechanics Bank will never send emails requesting updates to your online account.

Mechanics Bank System/Technical Updates

Many fraudulent emails may mention "system", "technical", or "technology" updates at Mechanics Bank. For example, you could receive a message you to make a "regular update and verification" to your Online Banking accounts, and that you need to verify your information. Mechanics Bank will never send updates emails in this manner.

External Link DisclosureBy accessing this link, you will be leaving Mechanics Bank's website and entering a website hosted by another party. Mechanics Bank has no responsibility for or control over the content of that web site and does not attest to the accuracy, privacy, security, or propriety of any information located there. Please be advised that you will no longer be subject to, or under the protection of, the privacy and security policies of Mechanics Bank's website. We encourage you to read and evaluate the privacy and security policies of the site you are entering, which may be different than those of Mechanics Bank.